JPH0321172B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a rice cooker in which an operating section or a display section is provided on the top surface of the lid.

(Prior Art) In a conventional rice cooker, an operation panel is generally attached to the lower part of the outer peripheral side of the rice cooker body in a state that projects from this, and an operation section is provided on this operation panel so that it can be operated from the outside. A light-emitting element such as a display lamp or a light-emitting diode is disposed inside, and the operation part is operated to perform rice cooking operation, and the light from the light-emitting element is emitted based on the operation through a window provided in the operation panel. The process of rice cooking operation can be confirmed by visually checking through the section.

(Problem to be solved by the invention) In general, rice cookers are usually placed on low places such as tables and sinks, taking into account the need to scoop out the rice in the pot after cooking. Therefore, the position of the user's eyes is also usually higher than the main body. However, with the above-mentioned device, the control panel is located at the bottom of the outer periphery of the main body, so if you are standing, your line of sight is too diagonal to the control panel. The disadvantage was that it was difficult to operate.

In order to eliminate such drawbacks, the present inventor has considered providing an operating section or a display section on the top surface of the lid. However, if the lid is equipped with an operating section, the packaging box may be compressed from above due to external force applied from above when the rice cooker is packed in a packaging box and stacked in multiple tiers or due to vibrations during transportation. When deformed, the external force may be applied to the operating section and display section on the top surface of the lid, potentially damaging the operating section and display section.

The present invention has been made in consideration of these circumstances, and its purpose is to improve the visibility and operability of the operation section and display section, and to prevent operation by external force from above during packaging and transportation. To provide a rice cooker that can prevent damage to parts and display parts.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) The rice cooker of the present invention has an operation section or a display section on the top surface of the lid having a handle, and the top of the handle has a handle. It is configured to be formed higher than the top of the operating section or the display section.

(Function) Since the operating section or the display section is provided on the top surface of the lid, visibility and operability of the operating section or the display section are improved. Moreover, since the top of the handle is formed higher than the top of the operation part or display part, even if an external force is applied from above while it is packed, the external force can be received by the handle through the top surface of the packaging box. This prevents excessive external force from being applied to the operating section or display section.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First, in Figure 3 showing the overall appearance,
Reference numeral 1 denotes the main body of the rice cooker, and 2 a lid that is provided to the main body 1 so as to be openable and closable via a well-known hinge mechanism 3. As shown in the enlarged cross section of FIG. A handle base 6 is integrally formed on the upper surface of the outer cover plate 4, and a handle cover 6a is attached to the handle base 6 so as to cover the upper part of the handle base 6, thereby forming a handle 7. ing. A plurality of engagement protrusions 8 are formed on the inner peripheral edge of the outer cover plate 4, while a plurality of engagement protrusions 8 are formed on the outer circumferential edge of the inner cover plate 5 in correspondence with the engagement protrusions 8. A mating recess 9 is formed, and the engaging protrusion 8 is held in an engaged state by the elasticity of the inner cover plate 5 and the outer cover plate 4 themselves. Reference numeral 10 denotes a stepped cylindrical steam venting cylinder having a large diameter part 10a and a small diameter part 10b at the top and bottom, and flanges 11 and 12 are formed at both the top and bottom ends of this body, respectively. In the portion 10b, a threaded portion 13 and a steam vent hole 14 are formed vertically. The steam venting cylinder 10 is inserted into an insertion hole 15 formed to protrude downward from one side of the outer cover plate 4 and a corresponding hole 16 formed in the inner cover plate 5. Then, with the flange 11 in contact with the upper surface of the outer cover plate 4, the nut member 17 is inserted into the threaded part 1 from below the inner cover plate 5.
3, the nut member 17 is tightened to the inner cover plate 5.
The outer cover plate 4 and the inner cover plate 5 are clamped together at one side by such a mounting structure of the steam vent cylinder 10. Although not shown, an engagement protrusion for engaging the inner cover is provided on the lower surface of the inner cover plate 5, and this engagement protrusion and the small diameter portion 10b of the steam venting cylinder 10 allow the inner cover of the lid 2 to be closed. An inner lid (not shown) is engaged and held on the lower surface of the plate 5. Reference numeral 18 denotes a lid heater provided at the center of the inner lid plate 5 of the lid 2 for keeping the inner lid warm. Reference numeral 19 denotes an operation panel, which will be described in detail below. That is, the operation panel 19
is made of ABS resin, for example, and a seat mounting recess 20 that slopes toward the side of the main body 1 is formed on the upper surface of the main body 1, and as shown in FIG. operation openings 21, 22 and four display openings 23 to 26.
is formed. By forming peripheral wall portions 19a diagonally downward on the four sides of the operation panel 19, and increasing the height of the peripheral wall portions 19a sequentially toward the handle base 6 side, the operation panel 19
is sloped downward toward the outside. Further, a U-shaped engagement groove 27 is formed at one outer edge of the peripheral wall portion 19a (the left outer edge in FIG. 1), while a U-shaped engagement groove 27 is formed at the lower part of the other peripheral edge slightly inward from the peripheral edge. A fitting protrusion 28 is formed at the same position. Further, a boss portion 29 is integrally provided on the lower surface of the operation panel 19 and projects downward, and a female screw portion 30 is formed in the boss portion 29 . The operation panel 19 configured in this manner has an opening 31 formed in a portion of the outer cover plate 4 located on the opposite side of the steam vent cylinder 10.
The peripheral edge of the operation panel 19 is brought into abutment engagement with the upper surface of the outer cover plate 4 by engaging the engagement groove 27 with the edge of the operation panel 19 and fitting the engagement protrusion 28 with the edge of the operation panel 19. The boss portion 29 of the operation panel 19 is fixed to the inner cover plate 5 by a screw 33 inserted from below into a screw hole 32 formed protrudingly on the inner cover plate 5. A clamping force is applied between the outer cover plate 4 and the inner cover plate 5 via the outer cover plate 4 and the inner cover plate 5 to bind them together. Reference numeral 34 denotes a printed circuit board disposed between the operation panel 19 and the inner lid plate 5, and the upper surface of the printed circuit board has, for example, operation sections for two operation switches (not shown) for operations related to rice cooking operation. 35, 36 (see FIG. 2) and four light emitting elements 37 to 40 for displaying the rice cooking operation process are installed on the operation panel 1, respectively.
The display section 49 is arranged so as to face each of the operation and display openings 21 to 26 of the lid 2, and thus the display section 49 is also provided on the upper surface of the lid 2 together with the operation sections 35 and 36. Lead wires (not shown) led out from the operation switches and light emitting elements 37 to 40 on the printed circuit board 34 are connected from the main body 1 to the lid 2.
Connected to the lead wire introduced inside. 41
is an elastically deformable sheet attached to the sheet attachment recess 20 of the operation panel 19, and as shown in FIG. Indication marks 42 and 43 are formed to indicate the display, and a transparent window 44 is provided in a portion facing the display openings 23 to 26.
47 are formed. In FIG. 3, 48 is a clamp provided on the handle cover 7 for unlocking the lid 2.

In this embodiment, the top part of the handle part 7 (the top surface of the handle cover 6a) is connected to the operation panel 19 (the upper surface of the handle cover 6a).
5, 36 and the top of the display section 49).

In the case of this embodiment having such a configuration, since the operation panel 19 is provided on the upper surface of the lid 2, the operation sections 35 and 36 of the operation panel 19 and the display section 4
9 becomes easier to see, and the operation parts 35 and 36 become easier to operate.

Moreover, since the top of the handle part 7 is formed higher than the top of the operation panel 19 (operation parts 35, 36 and display part 49), the rice cooker of this embodiment is packed in a packaging box and stacked in multiple tiers. Even if the packaging box is deformed so as to be compressed from above due to an external force applied from above due to vibrations during transportation, etc., the external force can be received by the handle part 7 through the top surface of the packaging box. Therefore, application of excessive external force to the operation panel 19 can be prevented, and damage to the operation panel 19 can be prevented.

In this embodiment, since the operation panel 19 is tilted, the user's line of sight becomes more perpendicular to the operation panel 19, and the visibility of the operation panel 19 can be further improved. Characters such as "keep warm" attached to the operation panel 19 and the light emitting element 3
Not only can the visibility of the light emitted from the elements 7 to 40 be improved, but also the operability of the operation parts 35 and 36 can be improved.

Incidentally, such an effect can also be obtained with a configuration in which the operation panel is integrally formed on the outer cover plate, but in this case, in order to repair the electrical components on the printed circuit board 34, it is necessary to remove the inner cover plate. It is necessary to remove the handle from the outer cover plate, which is really troublesome.In addition, in this case, if the operation panel is configured to protrude from the outer cover plate as in this embodiment, the handle base is separated from the outer cover plate due to the structure of the mold. This creates a problem that it must be formed separately. It is also possible to consider a configuration in which a separate operation panel is screwed to the outer cover plate, but in this case, if the operation panel is screwed to the outer cover plate from above, it may be easier to remove, but the head of the screw However, if the operation panel is screwed to the outer cover plate from the inside, it will look better, but it will not work unless the inner cover plate is removed from the outer cover plate when it is removed. The panel cannot be removed, making it really troublesome to remove the operation panel.

However, in this embodiment, the operation panel 19
Since the screws 33 are fixed to the inner cover plate 5 from below, the heads of the screws 33 are not exposed on the operation panel 19, which not only looks good, but also makes it easier to remove the screws when removing the operation panel 19. 33, the operation panel 19 can be easily removed from the lid 2 by simply lifting the operation panel 19 outward from the opening 31 of the outer cover plate 4. 19 has excellent removability. Furthermore,
When installing the operation panel 19, the engagement groove 27 of the operation panel 19 is engaged with the edge of the opening 31 of the outer cover plate 4, and then the fitting protrusion 28 is fitted into the opening 31. Simply place the peripheral edge of the operation panel 19 on the top surface of the outer cover plate 4, insert the screw 33 into the screw hole 32 of the inner cover plate 5, and tighten it to the boss 29 of the operation panel 19. Since the installation of the operation panel 19 is completed, the installation of the operation panel 19 is excellent. Moreover, by fixing the operation panel 19 to the inner cover plate 5 with the screws 33 in this manner, the outer cover plate 4 can be attached via the operation panel 19 at the same time as the operation panel 19 is attached.
Since the configuration is such that a clamping force is applied between the inner cover plate 5 and the inner cover plate 5 to bind them together, it is not only possible to assemble the cover 2 itself including the operation panel 19 easily, but also the operation panel 19 can be easily assembled. Since a clamping force is applied to the central portion of the lid 2 at step 19, the engagement protrusion 8 of the outer lid plate 4 and the inner lid plate 5 may deform due to deformation of the outer lid plate 4 and the inner lid plate 5 during long-term use. Even when the engagement force with the recess 9 decreases, the outer cover plate 4
The state of connection between the operation panel 19 and the inner cover plate 5 can be stably maintained, and since the peripheral edge of the operation panel 19 is pressed against the upper surface of the outer cover plate 4, the peripheral edge of the operation panel 19 can be kept in contact with the outer cover plate 4. It firmly adheres to the top surface of the screen without lifting up, giving it a good appearance. In addition, especially in this embodiment, since the operation panel 19 is made of ABS resin, the adhesiveness of the sheet 41 is of course good, and even if the boss portion 29 is integrally provided on the lower surface of the operation panel 19, the adhesiveness of the sheet 41 is good. For example, unlike the polypropylene that generally forms the outer cover plate, there is no sinkage on the upper surface of the operation panel 19, and the appearance of the operation panel 19 can be kept beautiful.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and shown in the drawings, but can be modified in various ways without departing from the scope of the invention.

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the above description, the present invention provides an operation section or a display section on the upper surface of a lid having a handle, and the top of the handle section is connected to the operation section or the display section. Since the display is formed higher than the top of the display, visibility and operability of the operation and display sections can be improved, and even if an external force is applied from above while it is packed, the external force will be transmitted through the top of the packaging box. This has the excellent effect of preventing excessive external force from being applied to the operating section or the display section, thereby preventing damage to the operating section or the display section.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention.
The figure is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view of the lid, FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the operation panel portion, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the whole. In the drawing, 2 is a lid, 4 is an outer lid plate, 5 is an inner lid plate, and 7
1 is a handle, 19 is an operation panel, 31 is an opening, 3
3 is a screw, 35 and 36 are operating sections, 37 to 40 are light emitting elements, and 49 is a display section.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A rice cooker characterized in that an operating section or a display section is provided on the top surface of a lid having a handle, and the top of the handle section is formed higher than the top of the operating section or display section. .